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Tuesday, July 28, 2009

After our first day on the road back to Texas, I took the kids to the hotel pool as is our traveling custom. I had thought to take Lulu for a swim, but this hotel is positively crawling with kids. So she and I sat on the sidelines and watched big brother and sister enjoy the pool for an hour.

As we observed the action, I was amazed at the amount of energy being expended not just by my kids but by everyone in the pool. Miss Boo resurrected swimming strokes from her Aggie Swim Club sessions, butterfly-ing and back stroking forward and back, forward and back. Rooster spent the best part of the hour cannonballing into the water, climbing out, and doing it all over again. He must have jumped in over 50 times.

The best part about cannonball jumping is the compulsive need to shout Cannonball! as one jumps in. Heedless of hazards, obstacles, or water up the nose.

I don't think I cannonball enough, either in the pool or in any other area of life. I have a tendency to hang back, watch what others are doing, test the risks before committing myself to something new.

Sometimes we need to spend more of life jumping in with our whole selves. Who cares if the pool is crowded, if the water is cold or murky, or if we end up with water up our nose?

I am still not sure I would like to jump in to this hotel pool. Too busy, too murky. But I think I'm going to try to look for opportunities this week to jump in, seize the moment, and enjoy myself without thinking too much about the consequences.